The embassy will take at least five working days to process your documents. Once your documents are processed, you will be issued a fully stamped Visa. Although this process offers you the benefit of being able to get hold of a fully stamped Visa before your departure to Vietnam, it is expensive and time consuming.
If you decide to apply for Visa to Vietnam through correspondence, you will have to send in all your documents to the embassy location by postal mail. This means that you could lose your valuable documents such as your original passport, if your package is lost or misplaced.
• Apply for Visa on Arrival
The easier alternative for those wishing to apply for Visa to Vietnam is the Visa on Arrival process. In order to apply for Visa on Arrival, you will have to get in touch with a travel agent based in Vietnam. You will have to fill an online application form on the agent’s website. You will have to key in your details such as your name, occupation, duration of stay, purpose of visit etc. The purpose of visit can be business, tourist or transit. A business Visa can get you a validity of one month, three months or six months. A tourist Visa comes with a validity of one month and transit Visa comes with a validity of less than five days.
Usually online forms are processed in a matter of two or three days. Once your form is processed, you will be issued a letter of approval. Your agent can collect this letter of approval on your behalf. On reaching Vietnam, you will have to produce this letter of approval at the Visa on Arrival counter of the airport you arrive in. You will also have to pay the Visa stamping fees along with the letter.
It is to be noted that the Visa on Arrival facility is extended only to those travelers who arrive in Vietnam by air. For those taking land routes, it is mandatory that they carry all their documents with them while travelling. In case of a cruise ship, the cruise authorities can be contacted for information on Visa on Arrival.
